Balkan electricity export aspirations – collection of media reports
March 20, 2015
A growing apetite for new power plants, mainly coal-fired, in the western Balkans could end up with many of them becoming `white elephants, a study released by CEE Bankwatch Network on March 19 warns. Media across the region reported on the findings:
Electricity export ambitions may prove risky for Western Balkans, shows new study
March 19, 2015
The Western Balkans countries have strong electricity export ambitions that create the danger of stranded assets, finds a new report launched by CEE Bankwatch Network today. If governments take electricity expansion decisions without taking due account of developments in other countries, the region will have to compete with other nearby exporters and may find that its power plants become uneconomic.
By the numbers: where will energy come from in the western Balkans?
March 19, 2015
Today we’ve published a new report analysing future energy trends in countries of the western Balkans. From a robust dataset we researched together with the University of Groningen and the consultancy ‘The Advisory House’, we’ve pulled out a couple of illustrations.
Stranded assets in the Western Balkans – report on the long-term economic viability of new export capacities
March 19, 2015
Country chapters available for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia. For other languages, see here. Analysing the estimated energy demand and production capacities in Western Balkan countries, this study shows that if countries realise their planned capacity expansions, the region will have a 56 per cent electricity surplus in 2024, led by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Nearly all governments in the region aspire to become electricity exporters, but the study argues that if governments fail to take into account the regional perspective, they could end up with power plants becoming simply uneconomic to operate.
Victories piling up: 130 more hectares of forest saved from lignite mining in Romania
March 12, 2015
Bucharest – A Romanian court has accepted a petition filed by Bankwatch Romania and Greenpeace Romania, and cancelled the environmental permit which allowed cutting down 130 hectares of forests – equivalent to approximately 260 football pitches – to make way for the expansion of the Pinoasa lignite open pit.
Energy Community countries so rich they can afford to eschew climate action?
March 11, 2015
Planned new coal capacities will result in high additional costs for Energy Community countries. Transforming their energy sectors into efficient, sustainable renewables-based systems is not only possible but a cost-effective way forward.
South eastern European countries must take climate action or face hefty bills, says new report
March 10, 2015
Countries of the Energy Community risk wasting hundreds of millions of Euros on outdated energy infrastructure if they do not adopt policies to tackle climate change, finds a new report released today by CEE Bankwatch Network and partners in four countries across the region.
Climate change: time for the Energy Community to take action
March 10, 2015
This report, commissioned by CEE Bankwatch Network and carried out by think-tank Change Partnership finds that countries of the Energy Community risk wasting hundreds of millions of Euros on outdated energy infrastructure if they do not adopt policies to tackle climate change.
Southeastern Europe deserves a better energy future – and now is the time to ensure it happens
March 6, 2015
Brussels, Prague, Sarajevo – The revision process of the Energy Community Treaty is entering its final lap these days, offering a real opportunity to transform member countries’ energy landscape. More than one year since the start of the Treaty revision, the second round of public consultations is closing today.
NGOs demand transparency in negotiations over Plomin C coal project in Croatia
March 5, 2015
Croatian electricity company HEP on Monday announced that it had signed an exclusivity agreement to conduct further negotiations with Japan’s Marubeni – a company which has been implicated in several corruption scandals.